Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package vanilla cake mix
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum
•  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. Spread pecans evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Combine cake mix , pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and rum in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour batter over pecans. Bake cake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry when inserted in the center. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove from pan.

To Make Glaze: While the cake cools in the pan, combine butter, water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil rapidly until it’s very thick and syrupy stirring very frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add rum. When you remove the cake from the pan, poke holes all over top of cake with a toothpick or long skewer. Pour the hot glaze into the cake pan and then carefully place the cake back in the pan. Allow the cake to set until it has absorbed all of the glaze, about an hour, and then remove from the pan. Cool completely at room temperature before slicing.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used gold rum.

Recipe courtesy of All recipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

For the rhubarb filling:

• 1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For the crumbs:

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose and it worked great)

For the cake:

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup cake flour (again, the all-purpose flour worked just fine)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

To make crumbs, in a large bowl, whisk together sugars, spices, salt and butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. It will look like a solid dough.

To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.

Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.

Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9×13 pan, which took about 60 minutes to bake. It needs to be fairly brown on top before it’s done. Also, the rhubarb made quite a bit of juice while it sat. I’m not sure if all of that was supposed to be added to the cake or not. I did add it, but had second thoughts about it. The cake turned out fine, but maybe a little on the wet side. I will try mixing the rhubarb right before I add it to the cake next time.

I tried making this cake with blueberries (reduced the sugar to 1 tablespoon and omitted the ginger). For some reason, the cake turned out very differently. I made it twice with the rhubarb with great results, so Im not sure why the blueberry version failed. With blueberries just starting to ripen, Im sure I will try it again.

Recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh berries - strawberries (sliced), blueberries, raspberries, ect
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 package(3.4 ounces) Jell-O vanilla instant pudding mix
• 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
• 2 cups angel food cake cubes

Directions:

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk.  Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Fold in Cool Whop. Spoon half into 2-1/2-qt. bowl. Top with layers of cake, berries (reserve a few for on top) and remaining cream cheese mixture. Scatter reserved berries on top. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Serves 10 - 12.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9- to 10-inch (about 12-cup) Bundt pan. Do not place the pan on a baking sheet - you want the oven’s heat to come up through the Bundt pan’s open core.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside dry ingredients.

Working with a stand mixer (using a paddle attachment, if you have one), beat the butter and both sugars together at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition; beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin and apples - don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the flour is just barely incorporated. Working with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the cranberries and pecans.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Slide the pan into the oven and bake 60 to 70 minutes at 350F, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Cool to room temperature on the rack.

To make a maple glaze for the cake, combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup. Drizzle over cake.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Baking: From My Home to Yours

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 13 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 5 ounces semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped or 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Filling and Frosting:

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don’t worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.

Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees F on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.

When the syrup is at about 235 degrees F, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable — don’t try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it’s really better to use it right now.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don’t worry about smoothing the frosting — it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.

Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it’s more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)

SERVING: The cake can be served at room temperature or just cool. It will be moist and a little fluffy. The cake can also be served cold and the texture becomes fudgier after it has been refrigerated. No matter the temperature, the cake is so pretty it should be cut at the table, so bring it out on a platter and cut it into generous wedges using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

STORING: The frosted cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or longer if you have the time.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

This recipe is adapted from the original, which is made in 8-inch cake pans.

Recipe courtesy of Baking: From My Home to Yours

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 1 stick butter
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 eggs
  
• Butter, to coat muffin tin
  
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Melt the chocolate and butter in the bowl. Stir in vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour and salt. Sift these into the chocolate and mix well with electric hand mixer. Add eggs one at time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. Beat at high until batter is creamy and lightens in color, approximately 4 minutes. Chill mixture.

Coat the top and each cup of the muffin tin with butter. Dust with the cocoa powder and shake out excess. Spoon mixture into pan using a 4-ounce scoop or ladle. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Outsides should be cake-like and centers should be gooey.

Makes 8 muffins.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I replaced 1 tablespoon of the flour with cocoa powder and also added 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder to the dry ingredients. I melted the butter and chocolate in the microwave. These were great because they could be prepared a few hours before baking them.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
  
• 1 cup sour cream
  
• 1 small peach, pitted, peeled and mashed (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon
• 6 large eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 2 cups peaches, pitted, peeled, and diced
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Combine the sour cream and mashed peach. Add the mixture to the butter and sugar and mix until incorporated. Sift the baking soda and 3 cups flour together. Add to the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating each egg 1 at a time. Add the orange extract. Toss the diced peaches with the one tablespoons of flour and stir into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Once the cake has cooled, combine the powdered sugar and orange juice. You may need to alter the amounts of each to get a thick glaze. Pour carefully over the top of the cake and allow to run down the sides.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Paula Dean.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar in the raw
• 1/2 cup flour
• Zest of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 cup fromage frais
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 peaches, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and line a 9×13 jelly roll pan.

Place the egg whites in a large, clean bowl and beat until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar. Fold in the flour, orange zest, and juice. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cake is firm and pale golden brown. Turn out onto parchment paper and roll it up loosely from one short side. Cool completely.

Mix the fromage frais with the honey. Unroll the cake and spread evenly with the mixture. Top with peaches, and then roll the cake back up.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Fromage frais is a fresh cheese that’s very low in fat and has the consistency of sour cream. It may also be called fromage blanc. It can be found in the speciality cheese case at some grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, good substitutes are quark or Greek yogurt.

Adapted from The Complete Book of Desserts

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar

Filling:

• 3/4 cup low fat soft cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Tia Maria (coffee flavored liquor)
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon coffee granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and line a 8 inch deep round cake pan.

Sift the flour, coffee powder, and salt together. Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until thick (when the beaters are lifted, a trail should remain on the mixture’s surface for 10 seconds). It takes awhile - 10 to 20 minutes! Gently fold in the flour mixture, being careful not to knock out any air. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, mix the soft cheese with the honey and Tia Maria in a bowl. Beat until smooth. Stir in the chopped ginger. Split the cake in half and fill with the Tia Maria filling.

To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the coffee and enough water to make an icing that will coat the bake of a wooden spoon. Spread three quarters of the glaze over the cake. Stir in the cocoa powder to the remaining glaze and mix until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe the mocha glaze over the coffee glaze. If you don’t have a piping bag, just swirl the two glazes together.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Desserts

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
  
• 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
  
• 1/3 cup warm water
  
• 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

These can be made into mini cakes as well (bake about 20 minutes).

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.